One in ten online shoppers abandons shopping basket

One in ten to abandon online shopping basket at checkout according to research commissioned by Royal Mail.

Published:14:00Sunday 18 September 2016

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One in ten online shoppers abandons their online shopping basket at checkout, when they see how much they could be spending, according to a study commissioned by Royal Mail.

The findings suggest UK adults could be experiencing cold feet associated with spending more than they have or more than they set out to spend online, leading them to abandon their shopping baskets altogether.

The annual Delivery Matters report found that a third of UK online shoppers (34 per cent) frequently abandon their online shopping basket after loading it up with items.

The report also found that price savvy younger consumers (18-to-24 year-olds) are the most difficult age group to convert from online browsers to buyers. Two thirds of them (61 per cent) frequently abandon their online shopping baskets compared to only a third (39 per cent) of 35-to-44 year olds.

Other reasons given by consumers for not sealing the deal on online orders include: “I was just browsing” (19 per cent), “I found a better deal somewhere else” (9 per cent), “I got interrupted when placing my order” (7 per cent) and “the item was out of stock” (7 per cent).

Nick Landon, Managing Director of Royal Mail Parcels, said “The findings suggest that online shoppers often start off browsing online innocently, - a term known as digital window shopping - get carried away by attractive offers and great product reviews, load up their baskets, proceed to check out and then have an “oops moment” when they see their total spend. This then prompts them to seek a better deal elsewhere or abandon the purchase completely.”

The study into the shopping habits and preferences of UK online shoppers also found that consumers are buying more frequently online than they did a year ago. The report found a 14 per cent increase in the number of times consumers in the UK purchased items online.

Nick Landon, added: “As online shopping frequency increases, so does the consumer’s expectations of their delivery experience. Fast delivery times, tracking, free returns and trust play an increasingly large role when online shoppers make their purchasing decision.”